Currently, there is substantial research activity directed toward the discovery and optimization of polymeric and other materials for a wide range of applications. Although the chemistry of many materials reactions has been extensively studied, nonetheless, it is rarely possible to predict a priori the physical or chemical properties a particular material will possess or the precise composition and architecture that will result from any particular synthesis scheme. Thus, techniques to determine such properties are an essential part of the discovery process.
Combinatorial chemistry refers generally to methods for synthesizing a collection of chemically diverse materials and to methods for rapidly testing or screening this collection of materials for desirable performance characteristics and properties. Combinatorial chemistry approaches have greatly improved the efficiency of discovery of useful materials. For example, material scientists have developed and applied combinatorial chemistry approaches to discover a variety of novel materials, including for example, high temperature superconductors, magnetoresistors, phosphors and catalysts. See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,776,359 to Schultz et al. In comparison to traditional materials science research, combinatorial materials research can effectively evaluate much larger numbers of diverse compounds in a much shorter period of time. Although such high-throughput synthesis and screening methodologies are conceptually promising, substantial technical challenges exist for application thereof to specific research and commercial goals.
The characterization of polymers or other materials using combinatorial methods has only recently become known. Examples of such technology are disclosed, for example, in commonly owned U.S. Pat. No. 6,182,499 (McFarland et al); U.S. Pat. No. 6,175,409 B1 (Nielsen et al); U.S. Pat. No. 6,157,449 (Hajduk et al); U.S. Pat. No. 6,151,123 (Nielsen); U.S. Pat. No. 6,034,775 (McFarland et al); U.S. Pat. No. 5,959,297 (Weinberg et al), all of which are hereby expressly incorporated by reference herein.
Of particular interest to the present invention are combinatorial methods and apparatuses for synthesizing or otherwise providing polymers and other materials followed by screening of those materials for characteristics such as permeability. Synthesis and screening of the materials for properties presents a multitude of challenges. As an example, conventional instruments and other apparatuses lack the ability to screen properties of several materials in rapid succession, in parallel, on a single substrate or a combination thereof. Thus, challenges are presented for building systems that can quickly process and test (either in parallel or in serial succession) mechanical properties of many materials. Additionally, challenges are presented for forming, processing or otherwise treating materials so that the materials are in appropriate condition for high throughput screening of properties.
Additional challenges are presented for rapidly measuring permeability of samples. Particularly, for relatively small samples it is difficult to design equipment that can properly support the relatively small samples. It can also be difficult to create instruments that will expose relatively small samples to permeation fluids (i.e., fluids that will permeate through a sample) in a consistent manner. Moreover, samples such as polymer films and other films, may experience internal conditions such as saturation, which can present challenges for creating instruments and methods that can provide comparable results for samples of different compositions or thicknesses.